The three-day international virtual workshop on “The Ideology Inherent in the Tradition of Vedic Recitation and Practices-An exposure” jointly organized by Amrita Darshanam-International Centre for Spiritual Studies, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Mysuru Campus, and South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur (Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India) concluded on February 27, 2021, at Amrita premises in Bogadi, Mysuru.

Earlier the workshop was inaugurated by Prof K. E. Devanathan (Vice-Chancellor, Karnataka Samskrit University) on February 25, 2021. In his inaugural address, he brought out the relevance and significance of Vedic recitation and remarked that Vedas being the oldest scripture has not lost its sanctity as it has been fiercely protected by the gurus over the ages by strictly adhering to the established style and pattern of chanting and rituals. This is the very reason why UNESCO has acknowledged the Vedas as an intangible heritage. He further emphasized the enhanced energy, sharper focus and better performance that is observed among the Vedic practitioners.

Dr. Rekha Bhat (Chairperson and Associate Professor at the Department of Languages, School of Arts and Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Mysuru) in her welcome address, shared, “if comprehended and adopted appropriately, Vedas have the potential to ensure global peace and contentment.”

The three-day event comprised a demonstration of the Vedic ritualistic practices dotted with recitations and explanations along with deliberations and interactions on the three Vedas Rigveda, Yajurveda and Samaveda.

The performance of Pavamana Ritual, Rudra Yaga and Darsheshti were the unique features of the workshop. Dr. Vamshi Krishna Ghanapaathi, Dr. Vigneshwara Bhat and Dr. Narasimha Bhat led these rituals along with their scholarly teams.

The chanting system along with its nuances of Rigveda and Samaveda was presented by Vidwan Manjunatha M. and Prof. Manjunatha Shrouti, Renowned Samavedic Practitioner and Prof. Subrahmanya Bhat respectively.

Sessions on “Relevance and Importance of Vedic Studies in the Modern Time” by Dr. C. M. Neelakandhan (Former Professor, Sree Sankaracharya University, Kalady), “Influence of the Vedas on Various Cultures” by Dr. Santosh Bhagoji More (Director of Samatvam Foundation, USA) and “Yogic Wisdom Enshrined in the Vedas” by Mr. Alexander Medin (Director of Nosen Yoga Retreats Center & Back in the Ring, Norway) presented the significance and relevance of Vedic practice for the common man in today’s world.

Prof. K. E. Dharaneedharan (Professor of Sanskrit, Pondicherry University) addressed the gathering on the topic, “The Ideology Inherent in the Tradition of Rigveda.” He opined that there is no author for Vedas and that Rishis are the founders of the Vedas, not the creators. Dr. Chakravarthy Ramachandran (Maharaja Sanskrit College, Karnataka Samskrit University) spoke on “Vedic Analytical Theory as per Meemamsa.”

In the valedictory function, Prof. Srinivasa Varakhedi (Vice-Chancellor, Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Maharashtra) said that the COVID-19 pandemic made people return to traditional knowledge for medical solutions and remedies. He opined that the need is not just to preserve the Vedas in museums and archive them but to adopt Vedic practices in our daily life.  In the context of the new education policy, the scholar should look for ways to blend Vedic knowledge with modern technology to uplift modern society. He urged everyone to learn it personally – by sparing some time.

Brahmachari Anantananda Chaitanya (Campus Director, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Mysuru Campus) and Brahmachari Muktidamrta Chaitanya (Correspondent, Amrita Mysuru), Dr. Rekha Bhat, Dr. Vigneshwara Bhat (Workshop Convener), Dr. Srikantha Parida (Workshop Co-Convener) and others were present on the occasion.

Over 2000 participants were a witness to the workshop through various online platforms such as Microsoft Teams, YouTube and Facebook Live. The active participation during the interactive session indicated that the workshop provided deeper insights and brought out newer possibilities in Vedic practice and research.